1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to graphical user methods for directing a digital machine having a display to play media files.
2. Description of Related Art
The linear time line has been a primary navigational and editing enabling technology in software products for over two decades for use in media development with a computer. The linear time line has under gone numerous changes and modifications by hundreds, if not thousands, of different programmers through these years. Yet for all of these modifications, all of the resulting linear time line operations have continued to remain dependent upon external access to tools. The access to these tools by the user has not changed much: these tools have generally been accessed by clicking on icons or by clicking on selections in menus.
One general characteristic of these tools that applies commonly to all permutations of linear time lines is that the utilization of these tools results in one action being carried out at a time. In other words, when any one of these tools, or a specific combination of them, is activated (selected) to enable a specific operation or function to be carried out on the linear time line, no other functions or actions can be utilized from any other of the tools or combinations of these tools.
In this type of environment users are constantly turning on and off various tools and combinations of tools to operate their linear time line to aid in the navigation through media and the recording, editing and playing of that media. The tools may include: (a) a play cursor which exists as an independent mode which must be entered in order to activate its use, (b) a zoom tool which requires the clicking on an icon or making a selection in a menu or order to activate it, (c) scrubber tools that enable a user to move forward or backward through the media, and (d) grab tools which enable a user to grab certain parts of media elements and move them, etc.
Each of the operations of these external tools are generally defined by a computer program that governs the use of the time line. Again, it should be noted that when each of these external tools is activated, this deactivates the other tools that are or could be used.